Foster Farms production facility will stay closed until officials have resolved all issues related to its recent cockroach issue the company said in a press release Sunday.
Foster Farms re-opened the plant Jan. 11 after it appeared the incident was clear, but shut it down again Sunday after it found more work was needed to eliminate the problem NBC News reported Monday.
"The company is exercising vigilance and choosing to dedicate additional time to ensuring its preventative plan is fully realized with the most effective technology and treatments available," Foster Farms said in a statement," Foster Farms said in a press release. "Foster Farms expects this closure to be brief, lasting several days, but does not at this time have a definitive date for resuming operations," the statement said. "No other plants are affected," Foster Farms said in the statement.
Foster Farms will make future products in plants in Central Valley, California for the time being the press release reported.
"On behalf of my family, I made a commitment to making this right and we are taking every opportunity to ensure the long-term efficacy of our program at this plant," Ron Foster, president of Foster Farms said in a statement. "We are confident in the preventative plan and want to take the time to properly implement new measures to our satisfaction," Foster said in the statement. "Foster Farms is a company that strives for excellence. We will not resume operations until we are confident that we have the most stringent and effective treatment protocols in place," Foster said in the statement.
Steps were taken to install a complex system to get a handle on Salmonella, a virus found in cockroaches, which has plagued a minimum 416 people in 23 states including Puerto Rico from Foster Farms chicken products NBC News reported.
Officials did not know the number of cockroaches, or what plant they came from NBC News reported.
A USDA letter to Foster indicated the creatures were found in a sink by an inspection station NBC News reported.
The department then came out to say the cockroaches were seen at the plant NBC News reported. the incident is the most recent since the first of four cases were found in September News Reported.
The salmonella cases were linked to chicken products made at three California plants owned by Foster Farms. The affected products have the following numbers: P6137, P6137A or P7632 Reuters reported.
